Eminent Assam littérateur, journalist Homen Borgohain no more
GUWAHATI:
Former Assam Sahitya Sabha president, eminent Assamese littérateur, intellectual and veteran journalist, Homen Borgohain breathed his last in a private hospital here at 6.58 am on Wednesday. He was 88.
Borgohain, who was discharged from Guwahati Medical College and Hospital on May 7 last after recovering from COVID-19, reportedly had injured himself after “falling from his bed” in the wee hours of Wednesday, following which he was rushed to hospital.
However, doctors could not revive him with hospital authorities citing cardiac arrest and post-COVID complications to be the cause of his demise.
According to reports, the result of COVID test conducted on Borgohain’s mortal remains has come out negative, and accordingly, his last rites will be performed at the Navagraha crematorium here on Wednesday afternoon.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter to condole the demise of Borgohain, stating that Assam has lost a father-like figure and that his passing away has created a deep void.
Sarma further said the last rites of the eminent littérateur would be performed with full state honours and that he has asked state education minister Ronuj Pegu, who visited the hospital on Wednesday morning, to do the needful in this regard.
Borgohain, who was serving as the chief editor of Assamese daily, ‘Niyomiya Barta’, occupied a distinguished space in the Assamese intellectual sphere, and was also known to have a deep understanding about urban complexities.
Born on December 7, 1932 at Dhakuakhana in Lakhimpur district, Borgohain had graduated from Cotton College here. Prior to starting a career in journalism, the prominent novelist had a brief stint as an Assam Civil Service officer.
A renowned journalist with contributions spanning five decades, Borgohain had served as the editor of Assamese weekly newspapers, Nilachal and Nagarik, before being editor of leading Assamese dailies, Asam Bani and Amar Asom.
He was awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1978 for Assamese language for his novel Pita Putra.
His other notable literary works include — Saudor Puteke Nao Meli Jay, Halodhiya Soraye Baodhan Khai, Astarag, Subala, Aatmanuxandhan, among others.
